Adapter rail

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system which has a section with which it can be fixed releaseably by force and/or form closure within a fitting region of the base frame the adapter rail having a push-in region in order to accommodate a tensible surface material. The force and/or form closure is established by the insertion of the tensible surface material into the push-in region between the section and the fitting region.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/906,203 filed on Mar. 12, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a profile rail system and to an adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of the profile rail system and which has a section with which it can be fixed releaseably by force and/or form closure within a fitting region of the base frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

These types of profile rail system are generally known. In particular in the field of exhibition stand construction building block-type framework systems are used with the aid of which exhibition stands corresponding to the ideas and needs of the exhibitors can be assembled. The profile rail systems generally have a base frame comprising vertically and horizontally extending bar profiles. The bar profiles are often made of aluminium and generally have a square or octagonal cross-section, and on each of their long sides have fitting regional, for example in the form of accommodating slots.

The slots extending over the whole length of the bar profiles mainly serve to connect the bar profiles to one another by means of lateral elements engaging in the slots and securable here and to be able to attach decorative or structural elements between the bar profiles. Partition walls for example, or also picture elements such as for example advertising graphics applied to rigid wall elements or other elements can thus be accommodated between the bar profiles.

The profile rail systems known from the prior art have various disadvantages. Some profile rail systems connect the bar profiles by means of mouldings/projections formed on the profile rails and which must be inserted or mounted into indentations formed on the rails to be fastened. The mouldings/projections are then tightened, for example by means of bolts and in this way become wedged by form-fit into the rail system. With these systems the complexity of fitting is very high, among other things due to the plurality of accessories required. The contact surfaces between two profile rails are generally small, and due to this a high level of loading with torsion or shearing forces cannot be compensated sufficiently.

An alternative profile rail system makes provision for the possibility of inserting a bolt at any point of a bar profile without previously pre-drilling. In this way it is possible to reduce the number of fitting elements, especially as one can dispense with providing projections or bars, however there is the danger that the retention by means of bolts can be ripped out easily with statically higher loads.

Further exemplary embodiments of these profile rail systems make provision for a fitting slot with a C-shaped profile into which slide shoes can be inserted which can be fixed in a specific position in the profile by means of screw connections, by means of which the individual bar profiles are braced in relation to one another. This type of fitting is also very time-consuming and complex.

It is common to all of the previously described systems that they are designed such that they can only be equipped with a single, previously determined locking system. This system predominantly consists of rigid partition walls which are pushed into the accommodating slots of the bar profiles, it being necessary for this purpose that the base frame, which is formed from the bar profiles in the fitted state, must be opened on one side for the fitting of the partition walls, and only after the partition wall has been inserted the base frame can be closed by fastening the final bar profile. If one wishes to change a partition wall or a motif, it is necessary for this purpose to first of all release one of the bar profiles so as to subsequently be able to remove the element to be changed from the base frame. After inserting the replacement motif into the open base frame, the bar profile must finally be fastened back onto the other bar profiles. This also proves to be very complex.

Known in this context are adapter rails to be disposed between the base frame and the element to be inserted, both the base frame and the adapter rails being specially profiled and additionally being bolted together.

It is a disadvantage here that only the profiles especially designed for this can be fitted to the base frame, and only very specific types of inserts or partition walls with very specific, size-accurate types of profile rails can be fitted together. The bolting of base frames and of profile rails and the adapter rails is complex and can also necessitate the complex opening of already pre-fitted base frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore desirable to provide an adapter rail which can be fitted into the base frame of the profile rail system with the least possible complexity.

Furthermore, it is desirable to increase the flexibility of profile rail systems, and in particular to make it possible to combine the profile rail system with a tensible surface material, with at the same time simple fitting.

This can be achieved by an adapter rail which has a push-in region in order to accommodate a tensible surface material, the force and/or form closure being established by the insertion of the tensible surface material into the push-in region between the section and the fitting region.

In other words, it is made possible by the adapter rail according to the invention for conventional profile rail systems known from the prior art, and which are designed for the insertion of partition walls or motif carriers such as for example advertising displays made of plexiglass sheets, to be equipped in a simple manner with tangible surface materials such as for example textiles or plastic films which can also be printed in colour with motifs. By inserting the tensible surface material tension is produced on the section of the adapter rail which is initially only loosely inserted into the fitting region of the profile rail system. By applying tension the section is pivoted into the fitting region such that force and/or form closure is produced between the section and the fitting region.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention described, the section is formed by a base element with an undercut which by inserting the tensible surface material into a projection formed in the fitting region of the base frame can be pivoted to produce said force and/or form closure. This type of base element can for example have a triangular cross section in the supporting region for material reinforcement and by applying tension by inserting the flexible surface material can be brought with one side into surface contact with the fitting region.

In order to achieve particularly secure fixing of the adapter rail within the fitting region of the profile rail system, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention the section in the contact region with the fitting region is provided with a roughened or corrugated support surface.

It is suitable to form the push-in region and/or the section respectively on one of the long sides of the adapter rail so that the largest possible support surface is achieved between the section and the fitting region of the profile rail system and the most homogeneous possible distribution of the tension brought about by the insertion of the tensible surface material.

In one exemplary embodiment the push-in region and the section are formed on adjacent long sides of the adapter rail. This can have a particularly favourable effect for the fitting and fixing process of the adapter rail in the profile rail system if the contact region or the support surface is brought about by pivoting the section and provides good manageability during production of the adapter rail.

In order to enable the insertion of rigid partition walls in combination with a tensible surface material, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention a retainer is provided on one long aide of the adapter rail which is formed substantially complementarily to the fitting region of the base frame.

In this exemplary embodiment it is suitable to form the section for insertion into the fitting region of the profile rail system and the retainer on opposite long sides of the adapter rail. Of course it is also possible to form the retainer and the section on adjacent long sides, but this embodiment is associated with increased structural complexity.

In order to be able to dispose the adapter rails in the profile rail system such that they form a second closed base frame, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention the adapter rail can have a mitre on at least one of its face sides. Of course it is also possible to provide both face sides of the adapter rail with a mitre, for example at an angle of 45°, so as to be able to position the individual adapter rails as homogeneously as possible in relation to one another.

In one exemplary embodiment the adapter rail has a bar on one face side which can be inserted complementarily to an indentation formed in the opposite face side, and in particular can be fixed by means of snap-on or screw connections. In this way the stability of the adapter rails can advantageously be increased even further.

The adapter rails are made both of a plastic, e.g. by injection moulding, and of aluminium or metal or a metal alloy, in particular of steel or stainless steel. Combinations of two of the respectively specified materials are also conceivable.

The profile rail system according to the invention has a base frame in which a fitting region for accommodating wall elements is formed, at least two adapter rails according to the invention being insertable into the base frame in order to fit or retrofit the base frame with a tensible surface material. Already existing systems can thus be provided with a flexible surface material by means of which the profile rail system is provided with mobility and flexibility due to the substantially simpler transportation of the flexible tensible surface material.

With regard to further advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention, reference is made to the subclaims and to the following description of an exemplary embodiment by means of the attached drawings. These show as follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of an adapter rail according to the invention to be disposed in a base frame with a C-shaped fitting region; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a base frame of a profile rail system with an inserted adapter rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an adapter rail 1 according to the invention to be disposed in a base frame 2 of a profile rail system 3. The adapter rail 1 has a two-part section 4 here in the form of two bar-shaped projections, one of the bars having on its free end a base element in the form of a substantially triangular projection by means of which the section can be fixed releaseably with force and form closure by pivoting it into an undercut 5 of a fitting region 6 of the base frame 2.

Beneath the section 4 the adapter rail 1 has a push-in region 7 for accommodating a tensible surface material B. A particularly simple type of fitting is produced if the surface material B is reinforced with so-called fitting strips 10 made of a flexible material such as for example silicone. Both the push-in region 7 and the section 4 extend respectively over the whole long side of the adapter rail 1.

In this exemplary embodiment the long aides are disposed adjacent to one another. It is conceivable, however, for the push-in region 7 and the section 4 to be provided on opposite long sides.

Along the long side which lies opposite the long side which has the section 4 there is in this exemplary embodiment a retainer 9 which is designed substantially complementarily to the fitting region 6 of the base frame 2. Of course it is also possible to shape the retainer differently than the fitting region 6 already provided in the base frame in order also to be able to combine the existing profile rail system 3 with other systems with other dimensions and/or geometric configurations.

A mitre is respectively formed on the face sides of the adapter rail 1 (not shown). By means of these mitres it is made possible for the adapter rails to be able to be disposed in the base frame 2 without a gap or other spaces having a negative impact upon the appearance being created. One can choose totally different mitres here. One fitting aid can he achieved for example by the mitre angle of two face sides of adjacent adapter rails 1 being visibly chosen to be different so that a defined installation position is specified and is also clearly visible to the fitter.

In order to stabilize and fix the adapter rails 1 in relation to one another, in an exemplary embodiment not shown the adapter rail 1 is provided on one of its face sides with a bar which is formed complementarily to an indentation formed in the opposite face side and can be inserted into the latter. The fitted adapter rails can then be fixed in relation to one another in the region of the bar or the indentation, for example by means of snap-on or screw connections.

The adapter rail 1 illustrated here is made of steel. However, it is by all means possible to make the adapter rails 1 of a plastic, of aluminium or of a metal or a metal alloy. Combinations of respectively two or more of the specified materials are also conceivable.

FIG. 2 shows a profile rail system 3 according to the invention with a substantially square base frame 2 the fitting region 6 of which is designed to accommodate wall elements (not shown) with a C-shaped cross-section as can be seen in the cross-section through this profile system 3.

The adapter rail 1 according to the invention is also shown in a cross-section here, the illustration with continuous lines showing the state in which the adapter rail 1 is inserted loosely in the fitting region 6 with its section 4, but the tensible surface material 8 not yet being inserted into the push-in region 7 of the adapter rail 1. There is not yet force of form closure in this fitting stage.

However, in the dashed illustration of the adapter rail 1 according to the invention, the tensible surface material 8 with the silicon fitting strips 10 applied to the surface material is already inserted, and this is why the force and/or form closure is already established due to the tension applied by this between the section 4 and the fitting region 6.

For this purpose, when inserting the fitting strips 10 of the tensible surface material 8, the Section 4 is conveyed into the projection 11 formed in the fitting region 6 of the base frame 2 by means of which the force and/or form closure is established between the fitting region 6 and the section 4. In order to secure their relative position in the contact region, a roughened or corrugated support surface 4 a is formed between the section 4 and the fitting region 6.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims. 

1. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system which has a section with which it can be fixed releaseably by force and/or form closure within a fitting region of the base frame, wherein it has a push-in region in order to accommodate a tensible surface material, the force and/or form closure being established by the insertion of the tensible surface material into the push-in region between the section and the fitting region.
 2. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according of claim 1, wherein the section is formed by a base element with an undercut which by inserting the tensible surface material into a projection formed in a fitting region of the base frame is pivotable such that the force and/or form closure between the fitting region and the section is established.
 3. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein the section in the contact region with the fitting region has a roughened or corrugated support surface.
 4. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein the push-in region and/or the section are formed respectively on a long aide of the adapter rail.
 5. An adapter rail to be accommodated in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 4, wherein the push-in region and the section are formed on adjacent or opposite long aides of the adapter rail.
 6. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein it has a retainer on one long side which is formed substantially complementarily to the fitting region of the base frame.
 7. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein it has on at least one of its face sides a mitre.
 8. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein it has a bar on one face side which can be inserted complementarily to an indentation formed in the opposite face side and in particular can be fixed by means of snap-on or screw connections.
 9. An adapter rail to be disposed in a base frame of a profile rail system according to claim 1, wherein it is made of a plastic, of aluminium, of a metal or a metal alloy, in particular of steel or stainless steel, or a combination of the materials.
 10. A profile rail system with a base frame in which a fitting region for accommodating wall elements is formed, wherein at least two adapter rails can be inserted into the base frame according to claim 1, so as to fit or retrofit it with a tensible surface material and/or a wall element. 